Objectivesassets.pearsonglobalschools.com/asset_mgr/current... · to what Ortiz calls “the real America,” which is “the Native America of indigenous people and the indigenous

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1.1 Food waste

Opposite United Kingdom households waste an estimated 6.7 million tonnes of food every year

Objectives●● To practise the active and passive voice●● To practise preposition + gerund constructions●● To revise the use of nominalised adjectives and verbs●● To revise the use of the present perfect●● To practise the text type blog●● To develop persuasive language skills

Text 1.1 Food Waste FactsRead the text and make notes as you read of the key facts which you find surprising

The impact of food waste is not just financial. Environmentally, food waste leads to wasteful use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides; more fuel used for transportation; and more rotting food, creating more methane – one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change. Methane is 23 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. The vast amount of food going to landfills makes a significant contribution to global warming.

Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted.

Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).

The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent to more than half of the world’s annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010).

Food loss and waste also amount to a major squandering of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital and needlessly produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.

In developing countries food waste and losses occur mainly at early stages of the food value chain and can be traced back to financial, managerial and technical constraints in harvesting techniques as well as storage –and cooling facilities. Thus, a strengthening of the supply chain through the support farmers and investments in infrastructure, transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food –and packaging industry could help to reduce the amount of food loss and waste.

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Sources: Global Food Losses and Food Waste – FAO, 2011 The environmental crisis: The environment’s role in averting future food crisis – UNEP, 2009

General Comprehension1 Discuss the facts you found surprising and what you have learned from the text with your group.

Brainstorm some ways to help solve the problem – think globally– act locally.

Then – prepare a short group presentation for the rest of the class on this topic based the ways you have found to help solve the problem of food wastage.

2 Vocabulary

Find words in the text which have the same meaning as the following words. These are in the order of the words you need in the text.

a) powerfulb) hugec) the same asd) wastinge) followed backf) advantageous

Zoom in on GrammarPassive and Active sentences

Look at these sentences

Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food as the entire food production of sub-Sahara.

Every year, almost as much food is wasted by consumers in rich countries as the entire food production of sub-Sahara.The first sentence tells us clearly about the consumers and what they did. The second sentence tells us clearly about the food and what happened to it. Both sentences have the same meaning, but the focus is different. In the active sentence the focus is on consumers and their actions. In the passive sentence the focus is on the food and what happened to it – the food did nothing, it was passive. In these sentences we do not always clearly state who carried out the action.

We can change active sentences to passive sentences by changing the focus from who did something to what happened to something or someone.

The passive is formed by to be plus a passive participle.

Grammar in contextChange these passive sentences to the active, the first example has been done for you.

1 In medium and high-income countries food is wasted. (by the consumers)

Consumers in medium and high-income countries waste food.

2 In the United States 30% of all food is thrown away each year. (by the consumers)

3 Approximately 32% of all food purchased per year is not eaten. (by the consumer)

Now change these active sentences to the passive.

1 Consumers often buy too much food.

2 Companies waste too much fuel for transportation.

3 Rotting food causes climate change.

4 Climate change makes the lives of humans more difficult.

5 Climate change causes many floods and storms

6 Everyone help to reduce the causes of climate change.

Write a blog about this topic, expressing your concern and encouraging others to become involved in reducing the waste of food worldwide. Include aspects of the IB Learner Profile which you feel need to be encouraged and developed more in individuals. Write between 250 and 400 words.

Hints for writing a blogBefore you start decide

• why you are writing,• what you want to say and which facts to include from the text,

and think about who you are writing to.

Organise your ideas into paragraphs with key information plus supporting details. Decide what action you would like your readers to undertake. Have a strong heading and a good finish to your blog.

Discuss the ethical and moral implications of food wastage from different perspectives, ie the mother of a poor family, a professional couple, a restaurant etc. Take on different roles, think about the issues from that point of view and be ready to defend your opinions and actions. Use the facts from the text to support your arguments.

In the United States 30% of all food, worth US$48.3 billion (€32.5 billion), is thrown away each year. It is estimated that about half of the water used to produce this food also goes to waste, since agriculture is the largest human use of water. (Jones, 2004 cited in Lundqvist et al., 2008)

United Kingdom households waste an estimated 6.7 million tonnes of food every year, around one third of the 21.7 million tonnes purchased. This means that approximately 32% of all food purchased per year is not eaten. Most of this (5.9 million tonnes or 88%) is currently collected by local authorities. Most of the food waste (4.1 million tonnes or 61%) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed (WRAP, 2008; Knight and Davis, 2007).

In medium- and high-income countries food is wasted and lost mainly at later stages in the supply chain. Differing from the situation in developing countries, the behavior of consumers plays a huge part in industrialized countries. Moreover, the study identified a lacking coordination between actors in the supply chain as a contributing factor. Farmer-buyer agreements can be helpful to increase the level of coordination. Additionally, raising awareness among industries, retailers and consumers as well as finding beneficial use for save food that is presently thrown away are useful measures to decrease the amount of losses and waste.

In the USA, organic waste is the second highest component of landfills, which are the largest source of methane emissions.

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1.2 Food Shortages

Text 1.2.1 Hunger in New York City Read the title of the poem below and try to imagine what it will describe. Think quietly to yourself and then jot down some descriptive words which you feel might be in the poem. Share the list with a partner. Then read the poem together.

Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-2691200018/hunger-new-york-city.html

General Comprehension1 Did you find many of the words you had predicted? Why, why not? Discuss this with your partner.

2 Look at each of the verses with a partner: what makes the language and meaning powerful?

Use your notes to contribute to the follow-up class discussion.

3 How does the poet describe hunger? How does the poem make you feel? Write a personal reflection on the poem of between 150 and 200 words. Then make a drawing to illustrate your response. When you have finished, share your response with others in the class.

Text 1.2.2 About the poem and the poet


Text Handling1 Match the vocabulary from the text with their correct meanings below

a) exemplifiedb) indigenousc) dehumanizingd) rituale) magnituderemoving the best qualities of people, importance and size, native, illustrate, special practice

General ComprehensionWhat do you understand by the expressions:

how dehumanizing city life can be in its separation from mother earth. (paragraph 1)

The alienation of the individual in the city (paragraph 2)

1 After reading the notes about the poem, do you understand it better? Read the poem again. How does the poet talk about hunger? What does hunger do? Find some of the descriptions he uses and discuss how effective they are with a partner.

2 It may seem surprising to you that people in large, wealthy cities also suffer from hunger. Do more research about the problem, Make a flyer to inform people of this and suggest ways they can help alleviate such problems.

Hunger inHunger crawls into you from somewhere out of your muscles or the concrete or the land or the wind pushing you.

It comes to you, asking 5 for food, words, wisdom, young memories of places you ate at, drank cold spring water, or held somebody’s hand, or home of the gentle, slow dances, the songs, the strong gods, the world 10 you know.

That is, hunger searches you out. It always asks you, How are you, son? Where are you? Have you eaten well? 15 Have you done what you as a person of our people is supposed to do?

And the concrete of this city, the oily wind, the blazing windows, the shrieks of automation cannot 20 truly cannot, answer for that hunger although I have hungered, truthfully and honestly, for them to feed myself with. So I sang to myself quietly: 25

I am feeding myself with the humble presence of all around me; I am feeding myself with your soul, my mother earth; 30 make me cool and humble. Bless me.

“Hunger in New York City” was first published in 1976 in Simon Ortiz’s collection Going for the Rain and is also included in the 1991 book Woven Stone: A 3-in-l Volume of Poetry and Prose, which collects all of the poet’s published poetry to that time. “Hunger in New York City” contrasts the America exemplified by New York City to what Ortiz calls “the real America,” which is “the Native America of indigenous people and the indigenous principle they represent.” In fact, while one of the purposes of Ortiz’s work is to define “Native America,” another is to call for its survival. “Hunger in New York City” is a variation on this theme, as it tells the story of how dehumanizing city life can be in its separation from “mother earth.” Indeed, Ortiz has said that “[a]s a writer, I’ve tried to consider most importantly my life as a Native American who is absolutely related to the land and all that that means culturally, politically, personally.”

Basic to Ortiz’s work as a writer are the Native-American oral storytelling tradition and the ritual of prayer. This poem tells the story of engaging fully with a hunger that takes on the magnitude of a symbolic opponent and ends with a prayer to “Bless me.” The alienation of the individual in the city that this hunger represents is not, however, a solely Native-American experience. But it is perhaps possible for the rest of us to understand through the Native-American experience of the land as mother how to heal the wound of alienation.

Tips to create an effective flyer. Plan the information and lay out you want to use. Make bold headlines and subheading, use powerful, descriptive language. Keep one main idea for each paragraph. Make your flyer attractive and colourful to encourage others to read it.

New York City

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news

Text 1.2.3 Author Biography


General ComprehensionTrue or false? Explain your answers with quotes from the text

1 Ortiz was interested in fair treatment for native peoples.

2 He lived in Alberquerque, New Mexico all his life.

3 Ortiz was married until 1984.

4 He was the consutling editor of the Pueblo of Acoma Press until 1989.

Zoom in on GrammarInteresting sentences can be formed by using a preposition plus the gerund.

For example we could change the following sentences in this way.

First I did my homework, then I watched TV.

After doing my home work, I watched TV. Or Before watching TV, I did my homework.

Grammar in contextThe life of Ortez is described consistently using the simple past tense, almost as a list. It is however possible to change the verbs, without changing the meaning, to make more interesting sentences by using a preposition followed by the gerund (verb in the......ing form)

For example

After attending Grants High school, he worked briefly in the uranium mines and processing plants of the Grants Ambrosia Lake area.

Use examples from the text to begin sentences with these prepositions followed by the gerund –

1 While…

2 In addition to…

3 After…

4 Before…

5 As a result of…

Text 1.2.4.Food Sharing in the UK

PUBLISHED: 01:01 GMT, 3 July 2012 | UPDATED: 06:38 GMT, 3 July 2012

Food-share database to end supermarket waste: Stores boost links with charities to help the hungryBy Sean Poulter

Supermarkets and sandwich chains could soon share surplus food with families struggling in the economic downturn.

Under a proposal backed by the Government, retailers would log details of products approaching the end of their shelf-life on a database.

Charities, who are increasingly working with families who cannot afford to feed themselves, would use the information to arrange pick-ups of food and other unsold products set aside during the week by stores.

Charities would then put together parcels or cook meals using the surplus food and distribute it to the needy.

Britain has seen an explosion in demand for food banks and food parcels amid the biggest squeeze on living standards in 60 years.

The Government is putting pressure on food giants to back the scheme, which is designed to both cut food waste and help those in need.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is bringing together supermarkets, retail industry leaders and food charities at a summit in London today to ensure food goes into kitchens rather than landfill.

She said: ‘Preventing food waste protects the environment, helps communities and makes good business sense.

‘Charities and retailers are already working together to make great use of surplus food and I’m hosting the roundtable today to look at new ways to make the system work even better.’

The nation’s biggest stores, including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s Morrisons, the Co-op, M&S and Boots, will take part. Charities FareShare and FoodCycle, which were set up to tackle food poverty, will also be present.

FareShare collects surplus from the food and drink industry and redistributes it to around 700 charities including the Salvation Army and homeless shelters.

The charities it supplies are also increasingly working with families living in food poverty.

The group wants supermarkets to provide food at each of its 18 outlets which would be picked up on a rota basis by local charities.

Ortiz was born in 1941 at the Pueblo of Acoma, near Albuquerque, New Mexico, the son of Joe L. Ortiz and Mamie Toribio Ortiz. He attended Grants High School in Grants, New Mexico, and then worked briefly in the uranium mines and processing plants of the Grants Ambrosia Lake area. Ortiz then attended Fort Lewis College, where he became interested in drama and English studies. A leader of the Indian Student Organization, Ortiz became involved in issues of fair treatment for native peoples. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1963, after which he attended the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque. He received a Master’s of Fine Art degree from the University of Iowa in 1969. He then taught writing and American Indian literature at various colleges and universities, including San Diego State University, the Institute of American Arts in Santa Fe, and the University of New Mexico. In December, 1981 he married Marlene Foster, and they had three children, Raho, Rainy, and Sara, but divorced in 1984. Since 1982 Ortiz has been the consulting editor of the Pueblo of Acoma Press, and in 1989 he became First Lieutenant Governor for Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico.

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Zoom in on GrammarThe+ adjective

The+an adjective can be used to talk about groups of people.

For example the poor, the needy, the lonely, the old, the young, the wealthy etc

The meaning is the same as poor people, needy people etc.

Grammar in contextReference pronouns.

Explain the meaning of the word it in the following sentences

1 FareShare collects surplus from the food and drink industry and redistributes it to around 700 charities including the Salvation Army and homeless shelters.

2 The charities it supplies are also increasingly working with families living in food poverty.

3 The charity uses professional kitchens to produce free meals in 14 locations across the country and is currently in partnership with Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, as well as smaller grocers and markets. Other retailers have been reluctant to back its work because they are worried about being sued if people fall ill as a result of eating surplus food.

4 Writing assignment

Based on the information in the newspaper article, write a blog article commending the supermarkets for the work they are doing for the poor. People generally write blogs because they feel strongly about an issue or have ideas they want to share. What would be your reason for writing the blog? What do you want to share with the reader? Write between 250 and 230 words

General Comprehension1 Why has there been an increase in demand for food banks and food parcels recently?

2 The Government is supporting the scheme which will bring two benefits. What are they?

3 What three reasons does the Environment Secretary give for preventing food waste?

4 What does Fairshare do?

5 What does FoodCycle do that is different from Fairshare?

6 Why are some retailers concerned about the project?

7 How would the Good Samaritan law help them?

8 Do you know the story of the Good Samaritan? If not, do some research to help you understand this reference.

Text HandlingExplain the following expressions in your own words

a) To boost linksb) Sandwich chainsc) An explosion in demandd) The needye) To donate surplus foodf) Fit for consumption

Picture brief – river scenes, emphasis on the water, reservoir, water fall anything with water outside

FoodCycle has called for the creation of a database so that food can be shared more effectively.

The charity uses professional kitchens to produce free meals in 14 locations across the country and is currently in partnership with Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, as well as smaller grocers and markets.

Other retailers have been reluctant to back its work because they are worried about being sued if people fall ill as a result of eating surplus food.

The charities are supporting the introduction of a so-called Good Samaritan law which exists in the US, and ensures firms providing food in good faith are exempt from legal action.

The British Retail Consortium said its members already give excess food to charities but said discussions on improving communication between charities and retailers will be held.

It said the scheme should apply to all food retailers and could involve sandwich chains.

It comes as Waitrose announced a commitment to donate surplus food from all branches to charities by the end of this year.

In the future, making donations to charities will be its preferred option for any unsold food that is still fit for consumption.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2168018/Food-share-database-end-supermarket-waste-Stores-boost-links-charities-help-hungry.html#ixzz2eJJqupUB

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

1.3 Water, Water, Everywhere

Text 1.3 A Clean Water Crisis

The water you drink today has likely been around in one form or another since dinosaurs roamed the earth, hundreds of millions of years ago. While the amount of freshwater on the planet has remained fairly constant over time—continually recycled through the atmosphere and back into our cups—the population has exploded. This means that every year competition for a clean, copious supply of water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sustaining life intensifies. Water scarcity is an abstract concept to many and a stark reality for others. It is the result of myriad environmental, political, economic, and social forces.

Freshwater makes up a very small fraction of all water on the planet. While nearly 70 percent of the world is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of it is fresh. The rest is saline and ocean-based. Even then, just 1 percent of our freshwater is easily accessible, with much of it trapped in glaciers and snowfields. In essence, only 0.007 percent of the planet’s water is available to fuel and feed its 6.8 billion people.

Due to geography, climate, engineering, regulation, and competition for resources, some regions seem relatively flush with freshwater, while others face drought and debilitating pollution. In much of the developing world, clean water is either hard to come by or a commodity that requires laborious work or significant currency to obtain.

Water Is LifeWherever they are, people need water to survive. Not only is the human body 60 percent water, the resource is also essential for producing food, clothing, and computers, moving our waste stream, and keeping us and the environment healthy. Unfortunately, humans have proved to be inefficient water users. (The average hamburger takes 2,400 liters, or W

at

er

Is L

Ife

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Source: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/

Text HandlingFind words in the text which can be meaningfully replaced by the vocabulary below. The words are in the order of occurrence in the text.

a) wanderedb) plentifulc) maintaining lifed) very manye) shortage of rain waterf) weakeningg producth) take a look ati) support

Try to explain the following expressions, as they are used in the text, in your own words.

a) since dinosaurs roamed the earthb) the population has explodedc) in essenced) to fuel and feede) seem relatively flush with waterf) water-intensive crops

1 Are these sentences true or false according to the text? Give the words or phrase which support your answer.

a) The water you drink today is very oldb) The amount of freshwater on the planet has grown in our time.c) For some people water scarcity is normal.d) In the developing world, water is often scarce.e) Humans are expert water users.

2 According to the text it takes 2,400 litres of water, or 630 gallons, to produce the average hamburger. Do you believe this? Do some additional research to find information about the amount of water needed to produce meat on the dinner table. Does this justify becoming vegetarian? Collect your information for a class debate. Your teacher will tell you more.

3 Explore your water footprint on the internet. There are a number of sites, including one from National Geographic which let you check your water footprint and give you ideas how you can reduce it. Share your findings with the class.

Written work: writing an articleWrite an article for the school magazine to inform your fellow students of the water crisis. You need to explain the link between water use and meat production, and offer suggestions which will help everyone reduce their water consumption. Use ideas from the text and from your research.

Write between 250 and 400 words.

1.4 Ryans Well

Text 1.4.1 Ryan’s Well Project

Source:www.ryanswell.ca/aboutus/ryans-story.aspx

The Ryan’s Well Foundation is a family of people committed to delivering access to safe water and sanitation as an essential way to improve the lives of people in the developing world. We empower citizens of all ages to take action and effect change in the world.

We have two goals – BUILD and EMPOWER.

Build: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene projects. Our BUILD program supports water, sanitation and hygiene education projects in partnership with local non-governmental and community based organizations in developing countries. Our current focus is to the communities of West Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Togo), East Africa (Kenya and Uganda), and Haiti.

Empower: Get involved and make a difference

Ryan’s story has been compelling not just for his actions against the global water and sanitation crisis, but for all grassroots action. It continues to motivate people of all ages –youth in particular – to take action and effect positive change in the world.

Our EMPOWER program consists of:

• Youth in Action – This program educates students about the need to conserve water and to understand the importance of safe water and sanitation. This elementary and secondary curriculum helps to inspire students to find where their ‘puzzle’ piece fits in our world and take action.

• Getting Involved – School groups, community groups, individuals and other dedicated Ambassadors of the Foundation are encouraged to organize their own fundraising activities, help raise awareness and share our story, thereby making a difference in their own way.

• Social Media – In addition to the Ryan’s Well blog and monthly email updates, we have increased our social networking presence. Be sure to follow us to read all the latest and stay in touch!

Women in Obutu, Uganda collect water from the community well instead of a nearby stream.

Picture source: Lesley Marino Photography

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/freshwater-crisis/

Tips to create an effective flyer. Plan the information and lay out you want to use. Make bold headlines and subheading, use powerful, descriptive language. Keep one main idea for each paragraph. Make your flyer attractive and colourful to encourage others to read it.

630 gallons, of water to produce, and many water-intensive crops, such as cotton, are grown in arid regions.)

According to the United Nations, water use has grown at more than twice the rate of population increase in the last century. By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity, with two-thirds of the world’s population living in water-stressed regions as a result of use, growth, and climate change.

The challenge we face now is how to effectively conserve, manage, and distribute the water we have. National Geographic’s Freshwater Web site Partner discussion

encourages you to explore the local stories and global trends defining the world’s water crisis. Learn where freshwater resources exist; how they are used; and how climate, technology, policy, and people play a role in both creating obstacles and finding solutions. Peruse the site to learn how you can make a difference by reducing your water footprint and getting involved with local and global water conservation and advocacy efforts.

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ComprehensionIdentify the following and explain the answers in your own words.

1 Who is involved in the project?

2 Who do they want to help?

3 How do they want to help?

4 Who do they want to get involved?

5 Explain what is meant in this context by the key words Build and Empower.

Now read about Ryan in the text below

Text 1.4.2 Ryan’s Story

Source: www.ryanswell.ca/aboutus/ryans-story.aspx

General ComprehensionThink carefully and then answer each question in a separate paragraph.

1 What is your reaction to the text written by Ryan? What surprises you most?

2 What do you think was the key factor in all the work Ryan has undertaken? Was it his personality? His family? The issue? What drove him to do what he did?

3 Think about the IB learner profile, which characteristics do you think Ryan displays?

Could working to support Ryan’s well become a CAS activity for you? If you think this could be something for you, do some research about Ryan’s well online.

Complete the following sentence beginnings which Ryan used in his text, to make them personal for you.

1 One day I was sitting in my grade one classroom…

2 My advice to anyone is…

3 For me, the issue is…

Now read the story of Jimmy, Ryan’s friend

Text 1.4.3 Jimmy’s Story

Source: www.ryanswell.ca/aboutus/jimmys-story.aspx

My story is really very simple. One day in January 1998, I was sitting in my Grade One classroom. My teacher, Mrs. Prest, explained that people were sick and some were even dying because they didn’t have clean water. She told us that some people walked for hours in Africa and sometimes it was just to get dirty water.

All I had to do was take 10 steps from my classroom to get to the drinking fountain and I had clean water. Before that day in school, I figured everyone lived like me. When I found out this wasn’t the case, I decided I had to do something about it. So, I went home and begged my mom and dad to help. After a few days, they told me I could do extra chores to earn the $70 I thought would build a well. I thought that’s all it would take to solve the world’s water problem. I worked for four months to earn my first $70. Then I learned that it was actually going to cost $2,000 to build a well in a place like Uganda. I also learned that the problem was way bigger than I realized.

I started speaking to service clubs, school classes, to anyone who would listen to my story so that I could raise money for my first well at Angolo Primary School in Uganda. That’s how my little Grade One project became the Ryan’s Well Foundation.

I am now a fourth year student at the University of King’s College in Halifax on the east coast of Canada. I am studying international development and political science but remain involved with the Foundation as a speaker and Board member. I speak around the world on water issues and on the importance of making a difference no matter who you are or how old you are.

My work would not happen without the support of my family and friends. My Ugandan pen pal, Jimmy Akana, who I met on my first trip to Uganda, is now a member of our family. Jimmy is an inspiration because he works hard and has a positive outlook. He always has a great big smile.

My advice to anyone is that in order to make a positive change in the world, you need to find something you are passionate about and then you need to take steps to act. For me, the issue is water and sanitation.

Water is essential to all life. I hope my story is a reminder that we can all make a difference – it applies to each and every one of us.

In 1999, my class at Angolo Primary School in Uganda starting writing to a Grade 1 class from Canada. My pen pal was Ryan. I was fascinated about Ryan’s life in Canada and he asked what life was like for me in my village.

Life was very different for me in Uganda. Every night, I walked eight kilometres carrying a small container to collect water. I had to go back and back again to fill the pot we used at home for cooking and washing. I usually got up at midnight to do this so I could still go to school in the morning. The water I collected was not clean, it looked like chocolate – but it was our only source before Ryan’s well was built.

In 2003, my village was facing many problems as a result of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) – a rebel group looking to overthrow our government. I was abducted by the LRA but thankfully managed to escape and find my friend Tom Omach – a project coordinator for Ryan’s Well. It took some time – and lots of paperwork – but eventually I came to Canada to live with Ryan and his family.

I love being a part of this incredible family and in 2007 – I received my Canadian citizenship and graduated from highschool!

It has been interesting adjusting to life in Canada – a new language, a new culture, cold weather! – but I couldn’t be happier. I like to help the Foundation when I can – volunteering at the office or joining Ryan for presentations about the need for clean water and the work of the Foundation. We have fun talking with school kids about our stories and how they can help other kids around the world.

In the spring of 2012, I graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada!

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ComprehensionAnswer each question in a separate paragraph.

1 What is your reaction to the text written by Jimmy? What surprises you most?

2 How different was Jimmy’s life from yours or Ryan’s. List the three most important points

3 Think about the IB learner profile, which characteristics do you think Jimmy displays?

VocabularyExplain the following words and phrases in your own words.

a) our only sourceb) abductedc) adjusting to

Writing Assignment write between 250 and 400 wordsWrite a letter to a younger relative or friend telling them about Ryan and the work he has done, how he started, what inspired him and your personal reaction to it. Plan your work before you start to write. Think about the main ideas that you want to share and organise them carefully.

Writing stimulus“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him to catch fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Based on the stimlulus, write a personal response and justify it. Choose any text genrre you have worked on in class. Write between 150–250 words.

Text 1.4.4 Kenya and Ryan’s Well

Source: http://www.ryanswell.ca/projects/where-we-work/kenya.aspx

Before you write –

Decide what it is you want to say – do you agree or disagree, can you link this to the unit topic? Be clear about your goal before you start to write.

Decide on the most suitable genre for your text.

Make an outline. Check you have all the points you want to make and that you have a clear, coherent argument.

Write your text.

Kenya is found in East Africa and is often referred to as the “cradle of humanity” in the Great Rift Valley. From the coastal region on the Indian Ocean to the east, Somalia and Ethiopia to the north, South Sudan and Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south, Kenya has a vibrant culture and fascinating history. As of 2011, the UN reports a population of over 41.6 million people – a vast population for a country with unique challenges of water supply. Periods of drought in the region, high levels of naturally occurring fluoride in the Rift Valley along with prohibitive well drilling costs required for drilling to great depths to reach safe water all contribute to 41% of the population lacking access to adequate safe water supply. With so many people and families- 42% of the population being under 14 years old- health, education, economic development and livelihoods are all impacted by lack of safe water and sanitation access.

Ryan’s Well in KenyaRyan’s Well has supported water and sanitation projects in the Samburu region of Kenya, home to the Samburu people along with the region of Kajiado south of Nairobi with a strong Maasai population. Partner organization MEDEC based in the Kajiado area, was introduced to Ryan’s Well through our colleagues at Rotary. Household rainwater harvesting tanks have proven to be the most viable means of water supply while building skills of local women to build tanks and manage water conservation. The Samburu Project constructs drilled wells in remote regions to the north

Kenya

Kenya – Rainwater Harvesting 2012/13Kajiado CountyProject Partner: Maasai Environment Development Consortium (MEDEC)

● Overview ● Map

Maasai communities will participate in building of household rainwater harvesting tanks to improve water supply. (With thanks to Jill Kirshner for her photo from Kajiado)The Kajiado region of Kenya, south of Nairobi in the Great Rift Valley, faces serious challenges with water supply. Rainwater harvesting is a viable option for household water supplies in this region. Ryan’s Well is now building on the experience and success of earlier partnership projects with MEDEC that resulted in over 100 household tanks being constructed.Maasai communities in the Kajiado region are adapting to new realities of daily life. Traditionally pastoralists, the livelihood of the Maasai people is inextricably linked to the availability of land, water and pasture. Changing climatic conditions in the region have had an impact on these traditions and limited development and education opportunities.With the goal of continued support for household water supply as a means of improving livelihoods, Ryan’s Well and MEDEC continue to work together with common interest groups in the region. This collaboration seeks to effectively and efficiently address these problems, step by step, and focus on improving opportunities for women and girls.

Activities (revised 25 Jan 2013): ● Construction of 50 household rainwater harvesting tanks. Originally 25 tanks were

planned and this goal has been increased! ● Development of a detailed monitoring tool to improve maintenance of tanks ● Household water usage assessment and education on best practices for management

of household water supplies ● Training of women’s common interest groups for design and construction of rainwater

harvesting tanks*Costs include (in Canadian dollars): water quality monitoring, hygiene education activities, water source committee training, project monitoring, reporting & partner coordination for WASH sustainability, all construction, drilling, materials and labour as required.

Updates18-March-2013 To date, the first 10 rainwater tanks (10,000 litres each) have been constructed. A meeting was held in order to identify vulnerable populations including households of elderly, ill, orphaned or widowed people. These groups have the least means to collect their own water and face many struggles each day. As such, 50 beneficiary households were identified to have rainwater tanks constructed. In the first four days of the project, 12 schools were visited to mobilize teachers, students and communities around the WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) program that was beginning. Workshop training sessions were held to share knowledge about the linkages between health and safe water, hygiene and sanitation. Our partners at MEDEC have put into use much of the information shared at the Community Health Promotion Workshop in November 2012.

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General Comprehension1 Why do you think Kenya is referred to as the “cradle of humanity?

2 Why does the country suffer from a unique shortage of water?

3 What particular problems do they have in their population?

4 What does “rainwater harvesting” mean?

5 How does this project improve opportunities for girls and women?

VocabularyWhich of the words in the text could be meaningfully replaced by each of the following? The words are in the order of the text

a) take partb) workablec) builtd) people who live on the land and keep animalse) inseparably.

Writing assignment SL and HLNow that you have read and researched about the achievements of Ryan, write a reflective diary entry about your impressions. Try to make links to the IB learner profile.

Write between 300 and 400 words.

Exam practice

The benefits of green livingGreen living is increasingly becoming a way of life. More and more people change their routines to embrace a healthier lifestyle that can really protect the environment and the world we live in. The food we eat and the air we breathe are the most important benefits to living green. However, we must be able to live in a way that we do not deliberately violate the laws of nature. In other words, going green is useless if we do not do this actively and by example.

Being able to maintain a green home is extremely important for our health and standards of living. New homes are built with the use of new technologies to improve the construction of greener structures. These practices aim at reducing the overall impact of building on human health and the environment.

Organic gardening is beneficial because it provides fresh vegetables and fruits which, in turn, help our bodies stay healthy. By avoiding the use of chemicals, not only do you grow organic, healthy products in your garden, but also you preserve the water from contamination when these harmful products are washed away in a rainstorm. The contaminated water contaminates the fish, which harms people and animals as they eat it.

Recycling is one of the most important benefits of green living. In effect, recycling is more than replacing plastic bags with cloth ones and keeping aluminium cans out of the garbage. It is an entire process that includes the collection of recyclablematerials, their process into raw materials and their manufacture into new materials. However, in the context of a household, it’s a good start to avoid plastic bags and aluminium cans.

As the recycling industry is becoming increasingly sophisticated, more and more items are manufactured from recycled materials. Manufacturing new materials from recycled materials requires less energy than using raw materials because recycled materials have already been processed.

Green living has value if each one of us turns the thoughts of green living around and teaches our children how to live green. By showing a sustained commitment to protect the environment and

ourselves, we will be able to conserve the forests and protect the endangered species so that future generations find a place to live on this planet. Greenhouse emissions are stabilized so that global warming possibly slows down.

To support the cause of a greener lifestyle, we need to unplug the equipment we don’t use; close the taps tightly; print documents both sides; use compact fluorescent lamps; refurbish our furniture; shop locally; eat all our food; use cloth shopping bags. With small steps we can make giant changes provided we actively support green living.

Answer the following questions.

1 How is being green becoming a way of life? ______________________________________________________________________

2 Which word in lines 1 to 7 is similar in meaning to “on purpose”? ______________________________________________________________________

3 State the goal of using new technologies to help construct green buildings. ______________________________________________________________________

4 How can contamination of water be avoided while gardening? ______________________________________________________________________

Choose the correct phrases to complete the sentences. Base your answers on information as it appears in lines 17 to 31.

Example:Water is contaminated when chemicals

are washed away in a rainstorm._______________________________________________

5 Since recycled materials have already been processed, … ______________________________________________________________________

6 When we preserve forests and protect endangered species … ______________________________________________________________________

7 Global warming might decrease when … ______________________________________________________________________

www.greenliving.suite101.com (April 2010) Images: www.flickr.com/photos/gregeh/2313877044 © Justin Smith / Wikipedia Commons,

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Objectivesassets.pearsonglobalschools.com/asset_mgr/current... · to what Ortiz calls “the real America,” which is “the Native America of indigenous people and the indigenous